Flume.



A. M. BURCH.

FLUME.

APPLICATION IILBD AUG. 17, 1911.

1,084,252, Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

H 6 1 1 II 1 5 Z I ///l E/Y7 O/? COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH c0 WASHINGTON, D. c.

UTED STATES PATENT 1. FFICE.

ALBERT M. BURCH, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO MINNEAPOLIS STEEL & MACHINERY COMPANY, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA,

A CORPORATION.

FLUME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 13, 191.4.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT M. BURCH, of Minneapolis, Hennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flumes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provlde a flume adapted for various purposes, but designed particularly for conveying water for a considerable distance for use in irrigation work.

A further object is to provide alflume of simple, durable construction, one 111 which the parts are interchangeable and can be shipped in knock-down form.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a flume embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the wall of the flu1ne broken away, Fig. 3 is a top view showing the means for securing the walls of the flume to the side rails thereof, Figs. 4 and 5 are details showing modifications of the side rails and cross bars.

In the drawing 2 represents a flume sheet, formed preferably of sheet metal and, preferably, substantially semi-circular in cross section and of suitable thickness of material. The abutting ends of these flume sheets are preferably arranged to lap by one another, as indicated in Fig. 2.

3, 3, represent side rails, preferably of angle bar iron, with one flange arranged vertically on the outside of the flume at each upper edge thereof. Cross bars 4, preferably of metal, cross the flume at suitable intervals and have downwardly and inwardly turned ends 5, forming hooks to engage the edges of the horizontal flanges of the angle bars, as shown plainly in Fig. 1. If preferred, the cross bars 4 may be secured to the side rails 3 by suitable rivets 3', as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, or in place of the metal side rails and cross bars I may use wooden side rails 3 and wooden cross bars 4, said cross bars being secured to the side rails by suitable means, such as nails 4. This arrangement of wooden side rails and cross bars is shown in detail in Fig. 4 of the drawings. When the wooden cross bar is used, 1 preferably employ a metal washer 9, between the top of the cross bar and the underside of the wedge 9.

6, 6, represent yokes, also preferably of metal, of substantially the same length, and

provided with slots 7 in their ends. These yokes are arranged in pairs, one on the outside and the other on the inside of the flume, the slotted ends projecting upwardly through slots 8 in the ends of the cross bars 4. In these slotted ends locking keys 9 are inserted, and as one of the yokes is on the inside of the flume and the other on the outside it is evident, if the yokes are of the same length and the slots 7 in the same rela tive position therein, the slots will be slightly out of register or alincment with one another when the parts of the fiume are assembled, due to the thickness of the wall of the flume between them.

I may, if preferred, make the inner yoke 6 shorter than the outer yoke and omit the slots 7 in said inner yoke. In this case the bottom of the wedge 9 will engage the end of the yoke 6 and the effect will be the same as in the construction. already described, where the bottom of the wedge is in contact with the bottom of the slot 7. I have illustrated this construction in Fig. 5 of the drawings, in which the end of the inner yoke 6 is shown extending through the cross bar 4 and in contact with the bottom of the wedge 9. Where the wooden cross bar is used, as shown in Fig. 4, with a metal plate or washer on top of it, the end 7 of the inner yoke may come in contact with the bottom of said washer 9 and the bottom of the wedge 9, instead of coming directly in contact with the yoke, will come in contact with the washer 9, and, as the wedge is driven to position, the bottom of the washer will act on the end of the yoke to force the same downward against the inner surface of the flume sheet.

The keys are tapered, as shown in Fig. 1, and when inserted in the slots in the ends of the yokes the edges of the keys will contact with the outer edge of the slot in one yoke and the inner edge of the corresponding slot in the other yoke, thereby acting reversely on the two yokes and causing them to clamp the flume, cross bars, and rails securely together. The keys are preferably made in the form of loops and when inserted into the slots of the yokes the ends of the keys are separated, as indicated in Fig. 3, to lock them against accidental separation from the yoke. At the same time, however, the ends may be brought together, the keys removed and the parts of the fiume separated.

This construction of the flume is not only a simple and economical one, but the assembling of the parts is so comparatively easy that the flume may be shipped in knock-down form from the factory and can be readily put together at the place where it is to be put into service. Evidently the flume may be made in various sizes and the Weight and kind of material varied according to the size of the flume, and the purpose for Which it is to be used.

I do not limit myself to the details of the construction herein shown and described, as the same may be varied in many particulars without departing from my invention.

I claim as my invention 1. A flume, comprising transversely curved sections having overlapped ends lying flat against each other; a supporting structure; and clamping means consisting of an outer plain tension strap curved to conform to the curvature of the flume sections, an inner plain compression strap curved to conform to the curvature of the flume sections, and means for putting tension on said tension strap, the overlapped surfaces of the flume sections being plain and without interlocked engagement with each other or with the tension and compression straps and held together solely by compression of the said tension and compression straps on the said overlapped portions.

2. A flume, comprising sections formed of plain material, sprung into semicircular form, the ends of the said sections being plain and overlapped, a supporting structure having cross bars above the flume sections,

an outer tension strap of flat material curved to conform to the curvature of the flume sections, an inner compression strap of flat material curved to conform to the curvature of the flume sections, said straps clamping the overlapped portions of the sections between them, and means for putting tension on said tension strap, the supporting structure presenting surfaces independent of the tension means against which the ends of the compression strap bear,.and the overlapped portions of the sections being held in place solely by the perpendicular pressure ,exerted thereon by the tension and compression straps.

3. A flume, comprising sections of transversely curved form overlapped at their ends, the overlapped portions being plain and lying flat, a supporting structure, an interior compression strap at the overlapped portions of the flume sections, an exterior tension strap, and wedges serving to put said exterior strap under tension, the supporting structure presenting surfaces independent of said surfaces against which the ends of the compression strap bear.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 14 day of August 1911.

ALBERT M. BURCH. lVitnesses:

GENEVIEVE E. SoRENsEN, EDWARD A. PAUL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, I). 0. 

